California

This sweet little Trillium from the Siskiyou Mountains has been moved into its own genus of which it is the sole representative. This is known as a monotypic genus and we are drawn to such isolated species. This is quite diminutive but is very beautiful with usually white flowers but can be pink or have varying degrees of dark pink spotting. It increases well by division - these are nice freshly divided plants.

Robust California native that has a very limited distribution in the wild. This seems like the cabbage of Erythroniums as it puts up very large succulent green leaves with pendulous flowers of a rich yellow intensity. These increase quite nicely by offsets leading to impressive clumps. Shade.

Redwood Ivy. This is a premier groundcover which is nothing like ivy. You will never find this choice species on a noxious weed list. Evergreen leaves forming a slow carpet with delicate white "inside-out" flowers suspended above like celestial motes of light. Drought tolerant!

Our native False Hellebore which we see in the Cascades. Fabulous foliage plant with big rounded pleated leaves - these are old plants. These may flower next year up to 6' with lots of small whitish starry flowers. Best in light shade or no afternoon sun. Loves a rich moist soil and is deer proof. These started early in our greenhouses and are thinking about summer dormancy.

This is the Award of Garden Merit form of the species which has a superior presentation in its fronds which are blessed with a long terminal pinnae. And really, who doesn't want a long terminal pinnae? The typical species is a familiar sight growing on the trunks of our native Bigleaf Maples here in western Washington but this form is rare.

California native Lily from a Ron Ratko seed collection. This has the small but glorious orange Turk's Cap flower with orange recurved petals darkly spotted. Haven't met a West Coast Lily yet that hasn't completely bewitched me. This one increases nicely from offsets.

Our native Fawnlily which grows from California up to BC. It is difficult to imagine having too many of these but judging from the copious self-sown seedlings in our shade garden, we'll soon see. Dormant in early summer so they aren't in the way. Pink flowers, leaves mottled when young

Our collection from the Siskiyou Mts in southern Oregon of this moisture-loving lily. We were out looking at interesting plant populations with expert guide Phyllis Gustafson and she showed us this fine stand in seed growing in full sun in the wet drainage coming from a massive Darlingtonia fen well up on the hillside. Reddish-orange Turk's cap flowers with the red more pronounced toward the ends of the tepals or petals. This is a good garden species with rhizomatous bulbs making for a good clump in time. This can also tolerate periodic inundation if that is something you are either cursed with or blessed by depending on what you are trying to grow.

Small green leaves and light pink flowers combine with the expected good bark color and texture and trunks and branches. This will be an open broad rounded shrub 6 or 7 feet tall and as wide in ten years depending on the gardener. Drought tolerant, this requires little summer water in our dry summers and good drainage is key. Our overwintering Anna's hummingbirds appreciate the early spring flowers.

This is the form most often available here in the Northwest and which may well be a hybrid with Vancouveria planipetala. The flowers are much paler and a smidge smaller than typical Vancouveria chrysantha from our observations. Regardless, a first rate evergreen ground cover which is drought tolerant.

We're calling this angustipetalum as it comes true from seed and seems right to us. Others can debate but Trillium nomenclature is still in flux so until it is all settled, this is angustipetalum. Similar to T. kurabayashi, this California native is distinct in this form with large sessile tepals which have no twist. The flowers look as though a French chocolatier created them from rich dark chocolate laden with cocoa fat and infused with Cabernet Sauvignon. They have a depth and saturation of color that is to be envied and carry a smoothly quiet shine. The big foliage is well-spotted early in the season and the entire presentation defies improvement.

Foetid Adders Tongue. How can you not love a plant with a name like this? Trillium relative native to the coastal Redwoods of California, this ranks as one of our most favorite plants. Sure the intricate early spring flowers smell of gym locker wet dog but how cool! And what foliage!

Pretty much an awesome plant for the rock garden or hell strip as this relishes good drainage and hot sun. We saw this at Lakewood Gardens in Denver summer of 2014 and had to have! A small subshrub covered in blazing red tubular flowers and allows no other plant to have any attention whatsoever. On the moderate to dryish side and lean. Did we mention deer don't like this? The current (now April 2017) issue of the North American Rock Garden Quarterly has Marian as the covergirl and it is well-deserved notoriety. BTW - if you are not a member of NARGS - that is a mistake fortunately easily corrected by going to their website and joining. Good publication, great plant people, exceptional conferences and tours and then there is the most awesome seed exchange list - some of our best bragging plants have their origins in that seed list.

A rare species from shaded moist areas in coastal Mendocino and Sonoma Counties in CA. Pleated leaves and branched flower stems to nearly 2 feet bear beautifully fringed snowy white flowers. Regarded as tender, Veratrum expert Christoph Ruby of Hof Botanic Garden in Germany tells us zone 5 hardy!

Red Birds in a Tree. Sometimes we like common names and this is one of those time. New Mexico native where it grows in moist canyons. Small white-lipped red tubular flowers in clustered congeniality throughout the summer to the delight of the nectar feeders. Likes to lean on other plants.

A plant of many names, 'Grandiceps', 'Grandiceps Group', 'Diane' here we have opted for crediting the original selector of this strongly crested form of our native licorice fern. The edges and end of the fronds are highly curled and rippling ready to lend a flamboyant touch of crashing evergreen waves to the boulder or log of your choosing.

Surely one of the finest Trillium species and one of the most fervently desired plant in our shade garden. We've got some fine clumps of this in the garden so it seems a sensible response. This is an uncommon species growing in southern Oregon and Northern California. Dark red sessile flowers with a slight twist of the petals that stand at attention above mottled leaves. These should be planted so there is 2"-3" of soil above the growth tip. Perhaps a bit deeper if you are in a cold zone.

Our seed collection of Martindale's Desert Parsley from our nearby Olympic Mountains. This West Coast native umbellifer is found from sea level to the mountains where it inhabits dry meadows and dry. often rocky, slopes. Yellow flowers from this population where it grew with 3 species of Allium and Delphinium menziesii. Goes summer dormant and great for the rock garden.

A Bay Area species thought to be extinct until a single plant was discovered in 2009 during a botanical survey prior to a freeway expansion. This one plant was dug and lifted by crane for transplanting to San Francisco Botanical Garden and one of the first propagations was given to us by the curator. Low growing to 2 feet or so and spreading with white flowers. Perfect example of ex situ conservation by botanic gardens and specialist nurseries.

Redwood ivy. Vigorous carpeter in optimal conditions with evergreen foliage which bronzes up in winter. The tiny white flower motes benefit from profusion and the fact that they are the smallest in the genus is offset by this species having the best foliage which is what you have 95% of the year. Our collection from California near Orleans where it was growing with Asarum marmoratum.